Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-24
AGRICULTURE AND LABOR
THE SENATE VOTES In FAVOR
OF A DEPARTMENT.

Committee Amendments TO the House
Bin Agreed to without Debate En-
cept That Transferring the Signal
Service from the War Department.
The Provisions of the Bill Outlined.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-In the Senate
at O'Clock this afternoon the unfinished
business" was announced, being the bill
to create a Department Of Agriculture
and Labor. The amendments reported
by the Senate Committee on Agriculture
to the House bill were agreed to down to
the one providing for the transfer OF the
Signal Service Bureau to the Department
of Agriculture and Labor. That led to
discussion. Mr.. Morgan moved to amend
the amendment by limiting 1t TO, the
weather service' of the Signal Service
Bureau.
MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT.
Consideration of the Agricultural De-
| partment bill was interrupted to allow
the presentation of a message from the
! President In relation to the Cutting mat
| ter in Mexico, which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations, and the
| presentation of conference report on
the pension appropriation bill, which was
| agreed to.
| MIR. Morgan's amendment was agreed
| to, and the section was further amended
| by including in the ''subordinate force"
! second lieutenants now in the service
of the bureau, and by providing that the
| compensation now paid to employees and
| enlisted men shall continue as now.
Mr.. Harrison inquired of Mr.. Morgan
what would be lett of the signal service
of the army if the transfer were made.
NEARLY WIPED OUT.
Mr.. Morgan replied that there would
be nothing left OF it except the chief,
| brigadier general and sixteen lieutenants
who belonged to the army but were not
assigned to regiments.
Mr.. Harrison-Then the chief signal
officer and sixteen lieutenants are not to
| be transferred?
Mr.. Morgan-The amendment provides
| that the service shall go on until the
President appoints chief of the bureau.
Mr.. Miller-The transfer does not at all
affect the signal service corps of the
| army.
TRANSFERRED AND PASSED.
Finally vote was taken onthe section
| transferring the weather service of the
| Signal Service Bureau (as amended }, and
it was agreed to by 81 yeas to 10 nays as
| follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Allison, Beck, Berry, Black
| burn, Blair, Brown, Cheney. Cockrell Coke,
Conger, Dolph, Eustis, Evarts, Fair, Frye.
George, Harris. Ingalls,, Jones of Arkansas.
| Kenna, Malone, MaXey, Miller, Mitchell OF
Oregon, Mitchell of Pennsylvania, Morgan,
Morrill,, Payne, Plumb. Pugh, Ransom, SaDin,
| Sawyer, sherman, Van Wyck, Vest and
Walthall-37.
| NAYs-Messrs. Bowen, Dawes, Edmunds,
Hale, Hampton, Harrison, Mcmillan, Man
| derson, Platt, Salisbury. Spooner, Teller,
| Whitthorne. Williams and Wilson Of Iowa-l5.
The bill was then passed without divis-
ion and conference was asked.
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.
The bill creates an executive depart
ment to be known as the Department of
Agriculture and Labor, with secretary
and assistant secretary, to be appointed
| by the President by and with the advice
| and consent of the Senate. The secretary
is to receive the same salary as the heads
| of the other executive departments and
the assistant secretary the same salary as
the assistant secretary of the Interior
| Department. The Bureau of Labor, as
now organized and existing, is trans
| ferred to the Department OF Agriculture.
| The department is to include bureau
under the charge OF Com
missioner OF Labor, to be ap-
pointed by the President by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate.
This commissioner is TO hold his office
four years and to receive salary Of
the subject of labor, the rate oil wages,
the hours of labor, the means OF promot-
| ing the material, social, Intellectual and
moral advancement of men and women,
etc. The commissioner is to have a chief
clerk, at $4,000 salary, and such other
employees as may be neces essary. He is to
| report annually to the Secretary OF Agri-
culture and Labor. The secretary is to
| inquire into the causes of discomfort be-
tween employers and employees within
| the United States, and may invite and
hear sworn statements from both parties
concerning matters in controversy. The
secretary is to make report annually to
| Congress.
THE WEATHER SERVICE.
The weather service of the United
| States Signal Service Bureau Is to be
transferred after July l, 1887, to the De-
partment of Agriculture and Labor, and
| is to consist OF one chief and the neces-
sary subordinate officers and employees.
| The present organization of the subordi-
nate force OF the bureau (ncluding Sec
ond lieutenants now in the servIce) is TO
continue. It's chief is 10 be paid a salary
Of $4,000, and Is to be appointed by the
! President by and with the advice and
consent OF the Senate. The compensation
of employees and enlisted men is to con-
tinue as now, and the present status in
the army OF commissioned officers
| is not to be considered
altered or affected, The Chief Signal
officer of the Army, in addition to his
strictly military duties, nav be assign
ed to the charge OF the Weather Bureau
until Chief OF the Bureau is appointed
and confirmed. The Secretary OF War 10
| to appoint board of three army officers
| (the Chief Signal Officer to be one } TO
make an inventory of the propsStatSz, the
Signal Service Bureau a&6rn4AaIsfer TO
the Department Of A SEoHfture such por.
| tion thereof as may be suitable TO the
Weather Bureau, the remainder TO con-
tinue under control Of the War Depart
| ment.
In THE HOUSE.